Why not build bridges and towers out of little balls of goo? Thats exactly what Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel asked themselves, and promptly they created an addictive puzzle game that resembles a mixture of Lemmings and a physics simulation. Much acclaimed by the games-world press, World of Goo is about to be let loose on Linux operating systems.

Aim of the game is to build large structures using balls of goo. The "Goos" wait patiently at the beginning of each level for the player to drag and drop them onto the foundations of a bridge or a tower. The Goos connect to other Goos via highly elastic support beams, creating structures similar to those complex molecule chains we remember from the chemistry lab. When completed, the construction provides the other Goos with a path to a waste pipe, and so entry to the next level.

Sounds easy, but don't forget the physics. The structure bends with the wind and is attacked by spinning saw blades and fire. Each level has its own hazard that has to be overcome. To even things up, the player has special Goos with extra talents. Some burn like a fuse, green Goos can be taken out of the construction and others float like hot air balloons.

World of Goois the brainchild of developers Gabler and Carmel, together the founders of the independent gaming studio, 2D Boy. The Windows version, currently available to buy only over the Internet, has been highly acclaimed by the PC gaming press and has received awards from both Gamestar and PC Games.

With Mac OS X and Linux versions announced at publication, the Linux still hasn't appeared. Reason enough for Maks Verver to jump in and help with the porting, which according to manufacturers has already reached the beta phase. Progress of the project can be followed in the forumon the Linux mailing list. Until it arrives, a short videocan be found on the homepage.

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